Hello from Jeffery’s Bay!

Hello from Jeffery’s Bay!

On January 12th, our squad arrived in Jeffery’s Bay, South Africa! We took a car ride from Port Elizabeth to JBay and got to see the beautiful land that the Lord has made here. We drove past mountains, the coast, valleys and lots of green and luscious grass. All things we hadn’t seen in a while since being in Cambodia. We immediately felt lighter, relaxed and had great joy. Also all things that we had not had so easily in a while. This place was marked with rest, trust, growth and peace right away. South Africa is in a drought and when we arrived at the ministry base we are working with it started to rain lightly and our ministry hosts said that it was a sign of the works the Lord will do through our team. I was in awe of his steadfastness. From Asia to Africa he was with us and never left us.

Even though this was a really sweet entrance into South Africa, it was hard leaving Asia. After a week in Thailand to rest and have fun, we were all ready to get to our next place and start ministry. But let me tell you, there’s a huge difference between the cultures in Asia and those in Africa… obviously. The hardest part was realizing that we had truly just left everything and everyone we had known for the past two and a half months in Cambodia. And now it was time to start over in a different country, continent, culture and ministry. A bittersweet thing because although we were leaving a place we got to know and love so deep, there is no denying that the Lord has more in store for us here in South Africa. 

The first two weeks here in South Africa, my team was on serve team. Which means we were at the base all day cleaning, preparing and cooking meals for our squad and getting to serve them while they were serving at different ministries. Being on serve team was really cool in an unexpected way and taught me so much. It was so different from what we were doing in Cambodia, yet I still learned so much and saw the Lord just as much. I learned what it means to become a servant and how to do it with a grateful heart. I loved getting to be at the house and see people come in and out, getting to know Wendy, the house manager, and spending many hours with my team cutting up vegetables, sweeping the floor or cleaning dishes in the kitchen. I also got the opportunity to work at the cafe of the school that is on campus of where we live for two hours a day. I loved loved loved this ministry. It was such evidence of what ministering in your hometown could look like and getting to know the Ladies that worked there encouraged me so much.

The next three weeks in Jeffery’s Bay my team will be working at a preschool about ten minutes away from the house we are staying at. We will be helping the teachers and staff throughout the day as well as playing with and loving on the kids. I am so excited to see the Lord here. It truly amazes me how is is working everywhere, quite literally in every corner, school, class, church, workplace, house and heart around the world!! Prayers that we would get to encourage the staff, interact with parents and love the kids well, would be very appreciated as we start this new ministry! 

South Africa has been a season of lowliness and solitude with the Lord that has revealed to me so many things about myself and even better things about the Lord, our Father. He has placed dreams and passions on my heart that I want to run after with and for him on a daily basis and long term. His love for me and everyone else captivates me everyday and I get to sit in awe of his loving kindness everyday. I think the change of scenery, from Cambodia to South Africa, has allowed me to find my limits and in that find how limitless the Lord is, and seeing him show up even when I can’t has been so renewing. Even in the mundane and in the mourning, he is there and is patient and kind and understanding. He’s not mad or upset, but he is actually comforting me and the Holy Spirit is interceding for me when I can’t do that for myself. He is a big God, and even the word big puts a box around him. But even though he is big, huge, powerful, awesome, omniscient and infinite, he is good and is intentional with the little things with every single one of his children.

Getting to know God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit on a personal and intimate level has been life changing and the most fulfilling thing I have ever done. Coming from someone who lived in a space of trying to satisfy myself with everything the world told me would satisfy me, and still feeling unsettled. 

Do you personally know God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit? They are one in the same, yet work as a team and have different jobs and characteristics. Get to know them, it’s crazy what they can do!

In about two weeks our squad will be splitting up again to go to either, different locations in South Africa or to a country surrounded by South Africa called Lesotho. A week after all the teams leave, my team will then go to Lesotho as well, to work with a church that has just begun ministering again after covid. We are so excited to get to help out with this church and the pastors and have no expectations for the time there, but are very anticipatory! Please be praying for smooth transitions, travel and the stirring of heart in all the places we will be going!

Thank you for reading and praying again. I hope you are encouraged by these updates and are getting to see a glimpse of the Lord’s plan for the nations come together. I am, and I know he wants that for you too.